Air Tractor AT-802

AT-802
Air Tractor AT-802
Role Agricultural / Fire-fighting aircraft
Manufacturer Air Tractor
First flight 1990




The Air Tractor AT-802 is an agricultural aircraft that may also be adapted into fire-fighting or armed versions. It first flew in the United States in October 1990 and is manufactured by Air Tractor Inc. The AT-802 carries a chemical hopper between the engine firewall and the cockpit and another one under the belly. In the U.S., it is considered a Type III SEAT, or Single Engine Air Tanker.[1]

Development

In its standard configuration, the aircraft utilizes conventional landing gear (two main wheels and a tail wheel). However, a number of aircraft have been converted to the Fire Boss aerial firefighting configuration, which utilizes Wipaire 10000 amphibious floats, so that it can land on a traditional runway or on water. The Fire Boss can scoop water from a lake or river for use on a fire. In addition to the 820 US gallons (3,100 L)[2] standard fuselage-mounted retardant tank, the Fire Boss can have optional 35 US gallons (130 L) foam tanks in the floats.[3] Operations with floats installed have been shown to produce a shorter and narrower retardant drop pattern than wheeled AT-802s.[4]

Armed version

AT-802U prototype at Paris Air Show

In response to the United States Air Force's LAAR program and the growing requirement for light counter-insurgency aircraft,[5] Air Tractor developed an armed model, the AT-802U, in 2008, with engine and cockpit armor, a bulletproof windscreen, self-sealing fuel tanks, and structural reinforcements for the carriage of 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) of payload. A reinforced wing spar was certified for 12,000 hours of flight time,[6] and the AT-802U was displayed in 2009 at the Paris Air Show.[7]

The AT-802 has also been used in counter-drug operations in the USSOUTHCOM AOR by the U.S. Department of State as a delivery vehicle for herbicides and defoliants over narcotics production facilities.

Ten AT-802U were converted by Iomax into an armed configuration with Roketsan Cirit 2.75" rockets and guided bombs [8] for the UAE Air Force. The UAE operated them until November 2015[8] when they were replaced by the first three of 24 Archangels on order from Iomax.[9] The Archangel is based on a similar cropduster airframe, that of the Thrush Model 660,[10] however to create the Archangel the basic Model 660 undergoes a much more extensive rebuild in the course of its militarization. Six of the UAE AT-802Us were transferred to the Jordanian Air Force.[11] with a further three being transferred to the Yemeni Government Forces where they have been used in the 2015 Yemeni Civil War.[8]

Variants

Operators

Civil

The aircraft is popular with aerial application operators.

Military and government

Montenegrian police AT-802A Fire Boss
Israeli AT-802F in a firefighting drill
 Argentina
 Brazil
 Burkina Faso
 Canada
 Chile
 Croatia
 Gambia
 Israel
 Italy
 Macedonia
 Spain

Former operators

 UAE

Specifications (AT-802)

Three Croatian AT-802F Fire Bosses

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[23]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

Notes
  1. ↑ "Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations 2007, Chapter 17" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  2. ↑ AT-802 Fire Boss Factsheet at http://www.airtractoreurope.com
  3. ↑ Wipaire Fire Boss Service Manual
  4. ↑ "Evaluation of Long Term Retardant Drop Patterns from Air Tractor 802 Amphibious Float and Wheel Equipped Aircraft", Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada, February 2006
  5. ↑ Trimble, Stephen. "PARIS AIR SHOW: Cropduster-turned-gunship makes Le Bourget debut". flightglobal.com. 15 June 2009. retrieved 7 November 2010.
  6. ↑ Exciting Product Developments In 2009. airtractor (2010-02-10). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
  7. ↑ PHOTOS: New gunship flies to Paris Air Show debut - The DEW Line. Flightglobal.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
  8. 1 2 3 "Yemen Air Force Flying ex-UAE AT 802 U BPAs". AirForces Monthly (Key Publishing). December 2015.
  9. ↑ "Third UAE Archangel delivered". AirForces Monthly (Key Publishing). December 2015.
  10. ↑ "Iomax Archangel". Iomax.
  11. ↑ Archangel makes show debut - Flightglobal.com, 7 November 2015
  12. ↑ Photos: Air Tractor AT-802U Air Truck Aircraft Pictures. Airliners.net (2009-06-18). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
  13. ↑ www.Airtractor.com AT802A
  14. 1 2
  15. ↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 35.
  16. ↑ "N.W.T. gov't spends $26M on 8 new Fireboss water bombers". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
  17. ↑ "Chilean Government acquires modern planes to fight forest fires".
  18. ↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 39.
  19. ↑ Egozi, Arie (2011-08-06). "Israel's new firefighting squadron". Flightglobal. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
  20. ↑ Keijsper 2008, pp. 43.
  21. ↑ "Flota de Aviones". Avialsa. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
  22. ↑ Trimble, Stephen (2011-01-25). "AirTractor delivers UAE's first AT-802Us". Flightglobal. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
  23. ↑ Jackson 2003, pp. 509–510.
Bibliography
  • Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52.
  • Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
  • Keijsper, Gerard. "Water-Bombers Required!" Air Forces Monthly, London: Key Publishing, July 2008 Issue.
  • Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31–32. 

External links

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